Electrical connectors used to transmit data signals and/or electrical power, such as alternating current (AC) power and/or direct current (DC) power between electrical components. For instance, an electrical connector can include a plurality of electrical contacts, including power and/or signal contacts, that mate with complementary electrical contacts of a complementary electrical connector. The electrical contacts typically define a mounting end that is configured to mount to an electrical component. such as a circuit board, cable, flex cable, or the like, and an opposed mating end that is configured to mate with the mating end of the complementary electrical contact.
Electrical connectors are typically configured such that as the electrical contacts mate along a wiping distance, the mating ends apply a normal force against each other that maintains the mated contacts in electrical connection with each other. During use, the mated electrical connectors are subject to thermal expansion particularly associated with electrical power contacts, and vibration, which can result in relative micromotion at the interface of the mating ends of the mated electrical contacts, which can cause localized fretting at the mating ends. Furthermore, some electrical connectors undergo a high number of mating cycles, whereby the electrical connectors are mated and unmated with other electrical connectors. The high number of mating cycles can cause the mating ends to become fretted due to abrasions at the mating ends caused by the high volume of mating and unmating with other electrical contacts.
While silver is a known conductor that is less expensive than gold for application at the mating end of electrical contacts, silver is significantly softer than gold and is thus subject to increased fretting and corrosion. Accordingly, it is known to apply a coating of anti-tarnish material onto the outer surface of the silver layer to reduce instances of corrosion to the silver.